By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANSWAR: Sahityotsav, the Festival of Letters of Sahitya Akademi, India’s most inclusive literature festival began in New Delhi on 10th March 2022. Festival of Letters 2022 is being celebrated to commemorate 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.
To mark the festival, “Tribal Writers’ Meet” was held on Friday at Rabindra Bhavan Lawns with the representation of 24 tribal languages. Sri Akhone Asgar Ali Basharat, eminent Balti poet inaugurated the Meet.
Later in the evening, the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Awards were presented to the 24 Award winners at Kamani Auditorium at Copernicus Marg. Dr. Chandrashekhar Kambar, President, Sahitya Akademi presented the awards to awardees. Dr. Bhalchandra Nemade, eminent Marathi poet and critic was Chief Guest at the Award Presentation Ceremony.
The awardees includes Anuradha Sarma Pujari (Assamese), Bratya Basu (Bengali), Mwdai Gahai (Bodo), Raj Rahi (Dogri), Namita Gokhale (English), Yagnesh Dave (Gujarati), Daya Prakash Sinha (Hindi), Wali Mohd. Aseer Kishtwari (Kashmiri), Sanjiv Verenkar (Konkani), Jagdish Prasad Mandal (Maithili), George Onakkoor(Malayalam), Thokchom Ibohanbi Singh (Manipuri), Kiran Gurav (Marathi), Chabilal Upadhyaya (Nepali), Hrushikesh Mallick (Odia), Khalid Hussain (Punjabi), Meethesh Nirmohi (Rajasthani), Niranjan Hansda (Santali), Arjun Chawla (Sindhi), Ambai (Tamil), Gorati Venkanna (Telugu), Chander Bhan Khayal (Urdu), Vindeshwari Prasad Mishra ‘Vinay’ (Sanskrit).
Furthermore, in celebration of the festival, all the 24 Award winners will assemble for the “Writers’ Meet” at the Rabindra Bhavan Lawns from 10 a.m. onwards on 12th March 2022 to share the creative process they underwent in writing their Award-winning titles. On the same day, a symposium on “Evolution of Plays in India since 1947” will be inaugurated by Sri Bhanu Bharti, eminent theatre personality & Dr Chandrashekhar Kambar, President, Sahitya Akademi will preside at 2.30 pm.
The 3-day National seminar (13 – 15 March) on “Impact of Literature on Indian Independence Movement” will start at Akademi Auditorium on 13th March 2022 at 10.30 a.m. Dr Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, eminent Hindi writer and Fellow, Sahitya Akademi, will inaugurate & Dr Harish Trivedi, eminent scholar, will deliver the keynote address. 42 eminent scholars from all over country will participate and present papers on various aspects of the impact of literature on Indian independence movement.
On the same day, a symposium on “Fantasy & Science Fiction in Indian Languages since 1947” will be inaugurated by Sri Devendra Mewari, eminent writer at 2.30 p.m. Dr Chandrashekhar Kambar, President, Sahitya Akademi, will confer Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, highest literary honour in India, on Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Rambhadracharya at 6.00 p,m, in the Rabindra Bhavan Lawns.
A Panel Discussion on “Media & Literature” will be organised at 10.30 a.m. on 14 March 2022. Sri Venudhar Reddy, Director General, All India Radio will inaugurate, Sri Vishwas Patil, eminent Marathi writer, will preside and Sri Rajendra Rao, Literary Editor at Dainik Jagran will be the Guest of Honour. On the same day, the President, Sahitya Akademi, will preside & Dr Vinod Joshi, eminent Gujarati poet will be the Guest of honour at the “Transgender Poets Meet” which will commence at 2.30 p.m.
“Purvottari: North Eastern & Northern Writers’ Meet” which will commence at 11 a.m. on 15thMarch 2022. Dr Arun Kamal, eminent Hindi poet will inaugurate & Dr Dhruba Jyoti Borah, eminent Assamese writer will be the Guest of Honour. On the same day, Ms. Mamang Dai, eminent English writer, will inaugurate and Ms. Anita Agnihotri, eminent Bengali poet & writer will deliver keynote address at the symposium on “Literature & Women Empowerment” which will be held at 2.30 p.m.Akademi‘s Book Exhibition will be held on all the days of the Festival from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
